Strictly Come Dancing judges now - from tragic death to ageism row, and Olympics gig
Strictly Come Dancing reaches its landmark 20th anniversary today (May 15) and remains as popular as ever with the public.
Len Goodman was the original head judge for the competition and clocked up an impressive 12 years at the helm of the panel before standing down in 2016.
He was also the head judge on the big-budget American version, Dancing With The Stars and opted to keep that gig rather than endure the exhausting weekly commute involved with doing both.
However, he announced in the semi-final episode of the 2022 season that he would be leaving in order to spend more time with his family in the UK.
He remained a fixture on British TV - popping up from time to time and also hosted a BBC Radio 2 show of music he grew up, with plus the BBC's Dance Band Days.
He sadly died in April last year after a battle with bone cancer.
(Image: BBC)Strictly Come Dancing officially marks two decades on our screens today (May 15). The smash hit BBC Saturday night dance competition has seen many changes in that time - not least on the judging panel.
Craig Revel Horwood is the only remaining judge from the original panel, as he sits alongside Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Strictly pro turned judge, Anton Du Beke.
In total, the show has had nine judges in its 20 year history, with the shortest tenure being Alesha Dixon, who only stayed three years. Throughout the past two decades, they have brandished their paddles either delighting hopefuls, or breaking their hearts with their scores.
Each judge has become a star in their own right away from the show, and all have branched out into other areas. Several have written books, and one recently won their first Olivier award at the age of 81.
In honour of the show's major milestone, Express.co.uk is taking look at the judges from the past and present to find out what they are up to away from the show.
Another of the OGs, Bruno Tonioli, did 15 years in the judge's seat before jumping ship. Alongside Len Goodman, he was also a judge on Dancing with the Stars in the US, a role he continues to this day.
It was his double jobbing which ultimately led to his departure from Strictly. Due to worldwide travel restrictions during the Covid pandemic, he was unable to make the show for the 2020 run, appearing instead by video link for the results show.
In June 2021 it was announced he would be permanently replaced by Anton Du Beke. However, he did return to the show on Christmas Day 2022 when he made a guest appearance; singing Don't Leave Me This Way by the Communards.
In a surprising career move, he also jumped ship to ITV, taking up the seat left vacant by David Walliams' departure from Britain's Got Talent.
(Image: Getty)
The only female on the original judging panel, Dame Arlene was a dance legend when she joined the show, but was dropped in 2008 and replaced by Alesha Dixon. This led to complaints about ageism and even sparked debate in the House of Commons, although this allegation was strongly denied by the BBC.
Speaking to The Telegraph about being replaced by a woman 35 years her junior, Arlene said: “I don’t think the BBC would think or care about what it did to me for a moment..It was within its rights. I was on a year’s contract.”
Unlike Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman, she turned down a spot on the US version of the show, but did return to judging when So You Think You Can Dance? began in the UK in 2010.
She has also since written a series of children's books and remains a towering figure in British theatre. This year, at the age of 81, she won her first ever Olivier award for her work on the West End smash Guys And Dolls.
(Image: Getty)
Craig Revel Horwood is the last man standing out of the original judging panel and is famously the fiercest critic. He has given a score of 1 out of 10 more than any other judge.
Alongside his work on Strictly, he is a reknowned choreographer. One of his most famous recent pieces of work was the choreography at the end of Paddington in 2017. He also made his on-screen acting debut in 2018's Nativity Rocks.
On stage, he took over the role of Miss Hanigan in the tour of Annie following the death of Paul O'Grady.
He has also penned three autobiographies and a novel away from the dancefloor.
(Image: BBC)
Former Mis-Teeq star Alesha Dixon has the distinction of the shortest judging stint in Strictly Come Dancing history.
She had previously won the 2007 series of the show before being drafted in to replace Arlene Phillips.
However, she was wooed away by Simon Cowell and a role on ITV's talent show Britain's Got Talent after just three years. She is still one of the four judges on that show and Simon has elisted her for other projects also.
